Comfort
by lanamione
Summary: After Arthur Weasley is attacked at the Ministry of Magic, all of the Weasleys are having a hard time adjusting. When Fred's been silent in his room for too long, Hermione decides to try and comfort him. Oddly enough, Fred doesn't object.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story starts over winter break in Order of the Phoenix. FYI This is a short chapter, but I hope to write longer chapters soon. Enjoy!**

Hermione walked into Grimmauld place and brushed the snow off her hair and shoulders.

"Hey 'Mione" An annoyingly familiar voice called as she took off her coat and boots.

"Yes George?" She turned to face him and was shocked to see that only one of the infamous Weasley twins was standing before her. George let out a small laugh, "I'll never understand how you've been able to tell us apart."

"Speaking of, where is said brother you can't be told apart from?" Hermione tilted her head curiously.

George frowned before nodding to the upstairs, "In our room, he's been having a rough time, what with dad being attacked and all"

"I don't blame him, this is more than any of you should have to deal with," Hermione tugged on her sweater sleeve, "Maybe I can go talk to him?"

"Good luck, he's barely talking to me, and I'm the resident twin brother and best friend of the poor bastard"

Hermione sent George a short glare before heading up the stairs, stepping over Crookshanks, who was napping on the sixth step.

She made her way to the bedroom where the twins resided and brushed a stray curl out of her face. She knocked softly.

No answer.

She knocked again.

"Go 'way" She heard Fred mumble from inside the room.

"I just thought you might want to talk?" Hermione rested against the door.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

She heard shuffling and backed away from the door. To her surprise, it opened and Fred Weasley stood in the doorframe, his hair disheveled and his pajama pants wrinkled and loose on his hips. His t-shirt most likely hadn't washed in days and the dark circles under his eyes told her he hadn't been sleeping.

"What do you want Granger?" His voice had lost it's usual teasing tone, and as annoying as it was, she missed it.

"I just thought maybe we could talk. Although, from what George has told me, you're not in a talking mood, but I just think-"

"Come on in Granger" Fred cut off her rambling. She quietly followed him into the room. He sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him. She cautiously sat down.

"I know you're very stressed out right now, and for obvious reasons, and I can't imagine what you're going through and-"

"No you can't, because as brilliant as you are, your father is a muggle who fixes teeth or whatever and has nothing to worry about"

"Well, he did get bit once, he needed stitches and everything" Hermione stated.

To her surprise, Fred laughed.

What surprised her even more was what happened next.

He kissed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione pulled back, her eyes wide. Fred looked at her warily and leaned back, as if waiting for her to blow up at him. She quickly stood up, "I've got to go"

"I'm sorry, actually no I'm not, but that's not the point, I shouldn't have just done that" Fred ran a hand through his fiery hair.

"No you, it's just that, I-" Hermione was actually speechless, something Fred was not too used to. She let out a quiet, nervous laugh, before moving to exit the room, millions of thoughts running through her mind.

"I've wanted to do that for a while now, believe it or not" She heard him from behind her.

"Don't" She didn't turn around.

"Don't what?"

"Don't make things more complicated than they have to be, Fred"

"I'm not trying to make things complicated I just, I don't know, wanted to forget about everything for a minute" He regretted the words just after they left his lips.

"So I'm just a distraction?" Hermione whirled around, hand on hip. There was a tinge of disappointment mixed in with her anger.

"Yes! I mean no! Never, you're way more than that to me, you could never-" Fred's face scrunched up with frustration. His hands were held up, as if to defend himself.

"I'm one of your brother's best friends! You can't just _kiss me._ " The last two words came out as a whisper. She ran a hand through her mess of chocolate colored curls.

"It won't happen again" Fred mumbled. Hermione nodded, "Good. Because we, you and I, can't happen. Ever."

She stood up straight, gave him one more small nod, and left the room. Fred let out a long sigh as he threw himself back on the bed.

Hermione shut the door behind her and leaned up against it. She hadn't hated the kiss. She had even kind of liked it.

 _Why the hell did she have to like it?_

"Hermione?" Her head whipped around. It was Ron.

 _Shit._

"Why were you in Fred and George's room? Did you get Fred to talk?"

"Er, not really" She bit her bottom lip. Ron shrugged, "Oh well."

Ginny ran up the stairs and joined them, grinning.

 _Seriously?_

"What are you smiling about?" Ron gave his younger sister a suspicious look.

"I'm just excited to get back to practicing"

"What, quidditch?" Hermione and Ginny sent him a glare, "Oh! You mean-"

The door opened from behind Hermione.

Fred walked past, pausing for a moment to greet the younger three, "Hi Ron, Ginny," pause, "Hermione."

He didn't make eye contact.

"Hi" The three replied in confused unison.

Hermione could feel guilt rushing over her. She knew she had every right to tell him no. But that wasn't why she felt guilty. She felt guilty because she had lied to him when she said that they could never be in a relationship. She actually kind of _wanted_ to be in a relationship with Fred Weasley. She shook her head, it wasn't a possibility, it _couldn't_ be a possibility.

"You're out of your room" Ron stated dumbly.

"How perceptive you are, Ronald" Fred rolled his eyes and kept walking. Ron blushed.

"Is George downstairs?" Fred looked at Ginny. She nodded. He left.

"That was weird" Ginny frowned.

"Yeah… was he like that while you were in there Hermione?"

"You were in his and George's room?" Ginny asked.

"I-" Thankfully, she was cut off by Molly shouting that dinner was ready. Ginny and Ron shared a look as she quickly made her way past them.

 _What the hell had she gotten herself into?_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow, has it been a long time since I updated this or what? Sorry for the 300 year long wait, but here's a little chapter that I wrote as I try and get back into this story. Hope you enjoy!**

Now that she was back at school Hermione had time that she could focus on books, and transfiguration papers, and trips to Hogsmeade, and D.A. meetings, and not the fact that Fred Weasley's lips had touched hers.

They never made eye contact and when they did, it was only for a few seconds. Things were more awkward than ever. But the real test would be the first Dumbledore's Army meeting of the new year. If she could get through that without wanting to hex herself into another dimension, everything would be just fine.

She was walking down the halls, making her way to the Room of Requirement when she heard the voice she'd been dreading call after her.

"Hey Granger!" Fred's voice calls out, "Hermione!"

She paused, "Yes, Fred?"

"Um, could we talk for a moment?" His sounded more sincere now, "Please?"

"I should really be-"

"Please, Hermione, I just need to get something off my chest, and then you're free to go," He rested his hand on her shoulder gingerly.

"Look, Fred, I know what you-"

"No, listen, I know things have been awkward between us but I just wanted to let you know that while I didn't intend on kissing you that day at Grimmauld Place, I wanted to do it, I wanted to kiss you and while I know that this is a lot to put on you, it is and I'm totally being unfair right now, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you for awhile, I actually really like you and I just needed to tell you."

She had never heard Fred Weasley talk this much since, well, ever.

"Here, take these," He held out his hand, opening his fist to reveal gold dusted mauve candies.

"Are you offering me candy to make me sick?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, George and I just perfected these. They make you forget the last ten minutes," He told her.

"Oh," She reaches out.

She closes his fingers back around the candy, "Keep them."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to-"

And then he felt her lips pressed firmly against his.

He dropped the candy.

She pulled away, blushing, "I, um, well, just wanted to give you that."

"Er, thanks."

She smiled softly at him, "Not a problem," And then shook her head, "Um, we should probably get to the meeting."

"Right! You're right," He grinned, "As always."

"Let's go then, shall we?" She nodded in the direction they needed to go in.

"You go on ahead, wouldn't want anyone thinking any funny business happened," He stuffed his hands in his pocket.

"Right," She bit her lip, "I'll see you in there then?"

"Absolutely," He smiled as she walked away, in awe of what just happened.


End file.
